No notice for household charge angers OAP

Michael Cryan A Cootehill octogenarian is peeved that she was forced to pay over €127 for the controversial household charge last month instead of the original €100 fee. Kathleen Corrigan of Bell View Drive, aged 88, is adamant she did not receive any letter prior to October demanding the money. The feisty pensioner claims she would have paid the €100 initially if she had been notified. What has also irritated her was when she did try to make enquires by telephone regarding the payment she was asked to press various buttons and still not get through to speak to anyone. "I don't have a computer and I thought I would have been contacted to say the money was due before it increased to €127," she explained. Kathleen pointed out that a friend received the same letter last month stating she owed €127 despite the fact she had paid the €100 back in March. She also claims she is aware of another local man, who passed away a couple of years ago, whose family also received a letter addressed to the deceased man deamanding the €127 just last month. "Are the people sending these letters zombies - that they don't check and see if the people are alive or dead before they are sent out?" the doughty pensioner wondered. As far as she is concerned it was a waste of money considering the cost of envelopes and stamps. Kathleen admitted she had vitriolic speech but she wanted people to know what actually was going on. "I'm sure there are many other people who have received these letters that have already paid the charge." The Cootehill lady has now paid her €127. A spokesperson for Cavan County Council responded: "Registration and payment of the Household Charge is a matter for the owners of residential property with no requirement on local authorities to issue invoices. Liability to pay the charge is self assessment in the first instance. "An extensive national and local media campaign outlining the background to the Household Charge was delivered earlier in 2012 by TV/Radio adverts, articles and adverts in The Anglo-Celt and in National papers, in addition to leaflet drops. Letters have issued in the last number of weeks to members of public who may have not registered and paid the household charge. These letters were based on information retained by the Property Registration Authority (Land Registry) and contained in the GeoDirectory. It is possible that letters may have issued to members of the public whom have paid the Household Charge in circumstances where their address or name may differ from land registry details or from the GeoDirectory database." The spokesperson also remarked that the function for collecting the Household Charge will most likely transfer to the Revenue Commissioners during 2013. Further information on the charge is available at www.householdcharge.ie